My plan. Help please!

[Zabier]

Ok, so I've been doing some thinking.

I'm currently a 1st year student of Diagnostic Radiography and have visited this forum before asking questions about the 4 year graduate courses.

However I've now been thinking that an access to medicine course would be better. I was just wondering if anyone could have a look at my plan, point out any left out details or shortcomings and generally give this starry eyed boy a bit of realism.

1)I have Alevels Biology:B Physics:C TheatreStudies:A (All these marks I can kick myself for being so lazy in hindsight)

2)I plan to work hard and attain a 1st in my degree

3)I have joined a local nurse bank and so am gaining lots of clinical experience atop my Radiography work. Also I have joined St.Johns ambulance.

4)Once I have my first (thinking positively!) I wanted to go into an access. College of West Anglia, King's Lynn looks really good but is it difficult to get in?

5)Hopefully I will get into access and a year later apply to a 4year graduate course strengthened by my access course which I took to help my lack of chemistry. Maybe Southampton?

So there you go! Thanks loads in advance, this forum is awesome!

[doc2bee]

Sounds good!

You apply for uni's as soon as you start the access course in the Sept so there is no wasted year.

I wouldn't pin all your hopes on one uni - and choose which access course to go on wisely as many are linked to unis so your chance of getting in there are greater. E.g College of West Anglia linked to UEA.

Good luck.

[Gizmo says -]

you sound like a very kind and 'elpful macca to me.

[Mamba]

Go for it. Dont tear yourself up over your A levels. I havent had good grades, went to Access To Med, worked hard and I have an offer. Just stay focused, give it your best shot. If you dont get into A2M this year as well as applying for it next year, I would put in an application for a Med Degree with a foundation year. I have been accepted with just GCSE's, not very good ones either.

If its in your heart , pursue it.

[Michael]

Probably better staying in radiology. With the EWTD and not only loss of free accomodation, but coupled with the fact that when you qualify all jobs will be unbanded and you will have to exist and pay back debt on a basic of £22 000 (less pay than my mother in law who works as a nurse in a nursing home), medicine is a bit shit at the moment.

[Mamba]

Dont listen to that !!!!

No disrespect Michael, but for most people medicine isnt about the money. The pay back scheme is great, you have 25 years to pay it back and whatever isnt paid off at 25 yrs ir rubbed out. At most, when u are earning the max u will earn, u will pay £85 a month, peanuts. The money im talking about is for accomodation, food, cloathes etc. So dont listen to him mate. Medicine isnt a job or a career its a way of life, its obviously drawn you in this far, GO FOR IT !

Im going to med school in sept and I cant wait.

[Mamba]

In addition the wages you quote are COMPLETLY inaccurate. Go look at the wages for F1 and F2 (first 2 yrs after qualifying) talking over 30,000 then onwards and upwards after that. Obviously there are fluctuations depending on placment. But you are completly wrong. Provide proof please !

Oh and as a cherry on top:
Do we pay our doctors too much? - Telegraph

[ben_]

The article you link to refers to GPs and consultants. The government is busily reducing the number of the current crop who will ever make it to this level. The idea that junior doctors will start out making £30k/plus is naive. It is based on banded positions which are disappearing due to budget cuts. The base salary is more like £20k. Medicine is no doubt still a good career option and I am considering it myself but to act like things are wonderful is doing no-one any favours.

[Mamba]

I know the situation, but you are taking the most negative information and displaying it. Wonderfull depends on your goals and motives. If you want money go elswhere, it wont satisfy you. If you want to help the sick, its wonderful.

The money isnt amazing in the first few years, if u get the right placment then it can be, besides MOST people in the uk arent earning 20,000 a year mate! You can expect to earn around 70,000 in medicine when u reach your goals. Thats serious money. If you wantmore forget medicine. To be honest the workload is that heavy, i dont believe that its possible to succeed without the right motivation.

I guess it comes down to opinion. But i just wanted to encourage this guys aspirations, in reality to get in the 4yr med degree you have to be damn specialo, its a very very difficult way in.

[kiya]

Zabier - I think it sounds like a very good plan. You are right that GEPs are difficult to get into and an access course would probably be a good idea. Otherwise you could always apply for a couple of GEPs and a couple of 5-year courses after you finish your access course.

With radiography, the job situation is excellent for graduates, at least in therapeutics. But it is so, so different from practicing medicine and like Mamba said, it isn't all about the money.

I say go for it Zabier and good luck with getting your first!